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Singapore Stock Watch:SINGAPORE stocks edged higher on Monday, with the Straits Times Index progressing 1.68 focuses, or 0.05 percent to 3,203.93 as at 9.05am.

Gainers dwarfed failures 73 to 42, after about 27.6 million offers worth S$40.1 million changed hands.

The most effectively exchanged counter was movies organization Spackman Entertainment, which exchanged at its present cost of S$0.03, with about 1.7 million offers exchanged.

Other dynamic stocks included Oxley Holdings, which rose 3.45 percent, or one Singapore penny to S$0.30, and ST Engineering which exchanged level at S$3.68.

Stocks to watch: Keppel, Oxley, Great Eastern, Micro-Mechanics

THE accompanying organizations saw new improvements that may influence exchanging of their offers on Monday:

Keppel Corp: Keppel Corp is moving a 70 percent enthusiasm for a Vietnam township task to Nam Long Investment Corp for 2.3 trillion Vietnamese dong (S$136 million) in real money. Keppel Land, Keppel’s land arm, is assuming control unlimited authority of Dong Nai Waterfront City LLC from its ebb and flow joint endeavor accomplice in the undertaking through a demerger. The arrangement is contingent upon specific conditions point of reference being satisfied, for example, the finishing of the demerger and administrative endorsement. Offers in Keppel Corp shut level at S$6.20 each on Friday.

Great Eastern (GE): The back up plan which is larger part possessed by Singapore loan specialist OCBC, has gone into an offer and buy consent to strip a minority stake in Indonesia protection firm, QBE Indonesia for some US$1.4 million. The purchaser, PT Suryasono Sentosa, will get a 5 percent stake in QBE Indonesia following the exchange, which is liable to endorsement by Indonesia’s budgetary administrations specialist and the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Offers in Great Eastern shut at S$26.65 on Friday, down 1.1 percent or S$0.30, while shares in OCBC last exchanged at S$11.47 each, up 0.5 percent, or six Singapore pennies.

Micro-Mechanics Holdings: Amid balance in the worldwide semiconductor industry, Micro-Mechanics posted a 20 percent fall in net benefit to S$3.1 million for the second quarter finished Dec 31, 2018, down from S$3.9 million in the year-prior period. This was on the back of a 3.1 percent fall in income to S$15.2 million, contrasted with S$15.6 million a year ago. Income per share for the quarter were 2.25 Singapore pennies, contrasted with 2.81 Singapore pennies in the former year. Miniaturized scale Mechanics will pay a break profit of four Singapore pennies for every offer on Feb 18, indistinguishable sum from was paid out in the year-prior period. Small scale Mechanics shares shut down one Singapore penny or 0.59 percent at S$1.69 on Friday.

GOLD TRADING FORECAST TODAY

INTERNATIONAL COMEX NEWS

Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA [PDVSA.UL] said on Tuesday its debt fell 5 percent in 2018 from a year ago to $34.6 billion, though it remains in default on most of its bonds as crude output has slumped to 70-year lows in an economic crisis. PDVSA, which is short for Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., has not paid interest on most of its bonds since the end of 2017, and together with Venezuela’s government has accumulated nearly $8 billion in late interest payments.

Global slowdown fears are growing, but the bigger beneficiary this time seems to be the dollar, not precious metals. Gold prices advanced slightly on Tuesday and those of palladium fell, while the dollar rallied after the International Monetary Fund revised downward its 2019 global growth forecast to 3.5% from October’s 3.7%. Chinese data also showed the lowest annual economic growth in nearly 30 years, while factory orders indicated a further loss in activity and jobs.

Oil prices extended falls from the previous session on Wednesday, as concerns of an economic slowdown weighed on markets. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $52.74 per barrel at 0024 GMT, down 27 cents, or 0.5 percent from their last settlement.

ECONOMY NEWS

As much as U.S. President Donald Trump wants to boost markets through a trade pact with China, he will not soften his position that Beijing must make real structural reforms, including how it handles intellectual property, to reach a deal, advisers say. Offering to buy more American goods is unlikely by itself to overcome an issue that has bedeviled talks between the two countries. Those talks are set to continue when Chinese Vice Premier Liu He visits Washington at the end of January.

A partial shutdown of the U.S. government, which enters its second month on Wednesday, has delayed the publication of key economic data, leaving investors and businesses to follow their intuition and gut instincts as they make critical decisions. The shutdown, which affects about a quarter of the federal government, started on Dec. 22 amid demands by President Donald Trump that Congress give him $5.7 billion this year to help build a wall on the country’s border with Mexico. The shutdown is now the longest in U.S. history.

The Bank of Japan is set to cut its inflation forecasts and maintain its ultra-loose monetary policy on Wednesday, as pressure on the economy mounts in the face of slowing global demand, dealing another blow to its years-long efforts to foster durable growth. The deteriorating global outlook also means the BOJ is some way off from exiting a sweeping stimulus program begun in 2013, which policymakers have acknowledged will do more harm than good the longer it is retained.

Singtel was famous at the opening ringer, including S$0.03, or 0.99 percent, to S$3.06 on a volume of 2.69 million offers. In the interim, telco peer StarHub was up by S$0.01, or 0.57 percent, to S$1.78, yet M1 lost S$0.01, or 0.49 percent, off its deliberate general offer cost, to S$2.05.

Singapore Stocks Watch: SINGAPORE stocks opened more fragile on Wednesday, with the Straits Times Index declining 0.32 percent or 10.26 focuses to 3,182.45 as at 9.05am in the midst of fears that the US-China exchange talks would not yield important advancement.

Washouts dwarfed gainers 70 to 43, or around five securities down for each three up, after 36.3 million securities worth S$67.8 million changed hands.

Among the most vigorously exchanged by volume, Genting Singapore held firm to S$1.09 with 6.3 million offers exchanged. Thai Beverage Public Co increased 0.7 percent or S$0.005 to S$0.74 with 2.4 million offers exchanged.

Dynamic record stocks included DBS Group Holdings, down 0.5 percent or S$0.13 to S$24.42; Jardine Strategic Holdings, down 0.8 percent or US$0.28 to US$36.82; and City Developments, down 0.7 percent or S$0.06 to S$8.84.

GYP to exit financial-criteria watch list, but still on hold for the minimum trading price

GYP Properties will be removed from the Singapore Exchange’s financial-criteria watch list from Jan 23, although it will remain on watch for potential delisting because its share price is too low, the company announced on Tuesday after the market closed.

Mainboard-listed GYP, the property group formerly known as Global Yellow Pages, was placed on the watch list on Dec 5, 2017 for posting three straight years of pre-tax losses and for failing to maintain a market capitalisation of at least S$40 million. SGX’s approval for the company’s removal from the financial-criteria list comes after GYP reported a net profit of S$3.7 million for the year ended June 30, 2018, and achieved a market cap that, according to SGX data, is currently about S$41.5 million.

GYP’s shares last traded at 15.1 Singapore cents, however. That leaves the company still under the risk of a mandatory delisting for failing to maintain a six-month volume-weighted average trading price of 20 Singapore cents and a S$40 million market cap. The company was placed on the minimum-trading-price watch list on June 5, 2017, and has until June 4, 2020 to cure that status or it could be forced to delist.

Singapore Budget :
FITCH Solutions examiners are taking a gander at looser financial arrangement from the Singapore government in February’s Budget, as per a short discourse out on Monday.

Refering to an approaching worldwide log jam and the weight on the Republic’s fare driven economy, the report said that the rising outside drawback dangers “are probably going to provoke policymakers to embrace arrangements to pad the economy through household situated activities, for example, open foundation spending.

This could incorporate presenting rail and other redevelopment ventures, as a milder open works pipeline was viewed as a delay the Singapore economy and its battling development division in 2018. Such foundation works have just been put on the table for the coming decade, the report noted.

“As open funds stay sound, there is space for the experts to give some help to the moderating economy,” the Fitch macroeconomic research group composed

“Singapore’s basically solid financial position because of long periods of monetary judiciousness will give space to the legislature to offer help to the economy.”

With the following Singapore general race due by April 2021, the Fitch group said that the up and coming Budget proclamation could indicate whether the People’s Action Party (PAP) will call an early vote in 2019.

“Should we see monetary exchanges to a vast extent of Singapore natives shock forcefully to the upside, this would propose that the PAP might look call decisions in 2019 as it has officially gotten down to business the fourth-age administration in 2018,” said the report, which noticed that the 2015 Budget posted an essential equalization deficiency on the back of refunds for white collar class families.

The 2019 Budget will probably contain a social spending center, including more subtleties on the Merdeka Generation welfare bundle for voters conceived during the 1950s, the investigators included.

In the mean time, Fitch Solutions gauge an essential excess of 0.6 percent of total national output for the past Budget, against the official desire for a shortage of 1.6 percent, as the experts indicated the administration’s reputation of improving the situation than it gauges.

The 2018 Budget had initially anticipated an essential shortage of S$7.34 billion and a fundamental deficiency of S$9.16 billion after extraordinary exchanges, barring top-ups to enrichment and trust reserves.

COMEX GOLD SIGNAL

INTERNATIONAL COMEX NEWS

This week precious metals traders will be monitoring trade talks for signs of a resolution in the U.S.-China trade dispute, while concerns over the economic impact of the U.S. government shutdown and uncertainty over Brexit will also remain in focus. While the ongoing government shutdown continues to delay some key U.S. economic reports, investors will get an update on U.S. existing home sales and jobless claims this week and U.S. markets are to remain closed for a long holiday weekend on Monday.

A blast at a gasoline pipeline in Mexico that killed at least 79 people has directed renewed scrutiny toward the new president’s ambitious strategy to stop fuel theft, his first major offensive to stamp out corruption and organized crime. Some relatives of the victims said fuel shortages stemming from President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s plan led people to fill plastic containers with gasoline on Friday at a leak in the Tula-Tuxpan pipeline, a few miles (km) from a major refinery.

Oil prices dipped on Monday as China reported its weakest annual economic growth in 28 years, although oil prices remain relatively well supported by supply cuts led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). International Brent crude oil futures (LCOc1) were at $62.57 per barrel at 0215 GMT, down 13 cents, or 0.2 percent, from their last close.

ECONOMY NEWS

China’s economic growth cooled slightly in the fourth quarter from a year earlier as expected, weighed down by weak investment and faltering consumer confidence as Washington piled on trade pressure, leaving 2018 growth the weakest in 28 years. Signs of further cooling in China — which has generated nearly a third of global growth in recent years — are stoking worries about risks to the world economy and are weighing on profits for firms ranging from Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) to big car makers.

Tax systems that put a high burden on the poor mean public services are underfunded, stretching the gap between rich and poor and fuelling global public anger, Winnie Byanyima, executive director of Oxfam International, said on Monday. The Nairobi-headquarted charity said in a report that a new billionaire was created every two days last year, just as the poorest half of the world’s population saw their wealth decline by 11 percent.

Analysts have trimmed forecasts for Australian economic growth following some disappointing numbers last year, but still tip solid outcomes ahead even in the face of falling house prices and a slowdown in China. Economists polled by Reuters forecast Australia’s A$1.87 trillion ($1.34 trillion) of annual gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 3.0 percent in 2018, down from 3.2 percent in an October poll.

This pursues Boustead Singapore’s Friday night declared that Boustead Projects, its 53% claimed backup, had prevailed upon an agreement worth $200 million to plan and assemble Surbana Jurong Campus.

As at 10.49am, Boustead Singapore shares are up 1.9% to 80.5 pennies with 419,000 units of exchanged while Boustead Projects shares are up 2.3% to 90 pennies with 36,000 units exchanged.

Situated at the 600ha Jurong Innovation District, Surbana Jurong Campus will be the coordinated propelled advancement and worldwide central station for the Surbana Jurong gathering.

The agreement is Boustead Projects’ biggest private part undertaking to date.

The honor of the most recent contract has raised the Boustead Group’s organization book build-up to around $860 million, which comprises of unrecognized venture income staying toward the finish of September 2018 or more the all out estimation of new requests anchored from that point forward.

GOLD TRADING FORECAST TODAY

INTERNATIONAL COMEX NEWS

The U.K.’s political and economic problems and a no-confidence vote on Prime Minister Theresa May after her failed Brexit deal vote are keeping alive gold bugs’ hopes of recapturing highs of above $1,300 per ounce, even as China’s attempts to steady its economy tamp down safe havens. Gold futures for February delivery on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange settled up $5.40, or 0.4%, at $1,293.80 per ounce after reaching a session high of $1,295. Bullion’s spot price rose by $4.21, or 0.3% to 1,293.59 by 1:32 PM ET (18:32 GMT), peaking at $1,295.03 for the day.

From her red-roofed home near Papua New Guinea’s capital of Port Moresby, Isabelle Dikana Iveiri overlooks a giant plant used by Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM) to liquefy billions of dollars’ worth of natural gas before it is shipped to Asian buyers. Dikana Iveiri can also see swaths of muddy shoreline, where mangroves have been felled for firewood by locals who don’t have electricity, gas, or money to buy either.

Oil prices dipped on Thursday as U.S. crude production quickly approached an unprecedented 12 million barrels per day (bpd) just as worries about weakening demand emerge. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures (CLc1) were at $52 per barrel at 0140 GMT, down 31 cents, or 0.6 percent, from their last settlement. International Brent crude oil futures (LCOc1) were down 34 cents, or 0.6 percent, at $60.98 per barrel.

ECONOMY NEWS

Neel Kashkari, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and a critic of the Fed’s recent round of interest rate hikes, on Wednesday said the U.S. central bank is as well positioned now as before the 2007-2009 financial crisis to fight a downturn. Kashkari made the comments in a public debate held by Intelligence Squared U.S. in New York City, in which he and Harvard University professor Jason Furman defended the notion that the financial system is safer than it was 10 years ago.

With the partial U.S. government shutdown now in its 26th day, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday urged President Donald Trump to reschedule his State of the Union address – a move that could deny him the opportunity to use the pageantry of the speech to attack Democrats in their own chamber over the impasse. With Trump’s address set for Jan. 29, Pelosi wrote him a letter citing security concerns because the Secret Service, which is required to provide security for the address, has not received funding during the dispute.

The uncertainty over whether the United Kingdom will leave the European Union is not a direct problem for Canada but will hit the global economy, Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau said on Wednesday. Morneau, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a Cabinet retreat, sidestepped questions about whether Canada would seek to negotiate a free trade treaty with Britain if it left the 28-nation EU.

Other dynamic stocks included Genting Singapore, which rose 0.93 percent, or one Singapore penny to S$1.09, and Singtel which exchanged level at S$3.06, with about 2.1 million offers exchanged.

Stocks to watch: Keppel-KBS US Reit, Sunrise Shares, First Reit,

Keppel-KBS US Reit: The land speculation trust reported on Thursday that it has finished the obtaining of Maitland Promenade I, an office property situated in the Maitland sub-market of Orlando, Florida, for US$48.5 million from The Realty Associates Fund X. Maitland Promenade I has a net lettable zone of 230,371 square feet, with a submitted inhabitance rate of 98.1 percent as at Oct 25, 2018. Its offers rose US$0.005 or 0.77 percent to close at US$0.655 on Wednesday.

Dawn Shares: The offer for the electrical items dealer and wholesaler has been made genuine, while the end date has been stretched out to Feb 7. In December, Hong Kong-based specialist Wong Siu Fai gained a 90 percent stake in Quality Able, which holds a 4.49 percent stake in Sunrise Shares, for S$122,400. Counting his direct and esteemed stake of 29.73 percent at the time, this pushed his absolute stake past the 30 percent edge, setting off the prerequisite for a general offer for whatever is left of the organization’s offers. He has made an offer of S$0.017 per share. Dawn shares last shut level at S$0.017 on Jan 7.

First Reit: The land speculation trust’s final quarter dispersion per unit (DPU) remained level at 2.15 Singapore pennies for the three months finished Dec 31, 2018, unaltered from a year back. This is payable on Feb 28, 2019. Net income went up 2.7 percent to S$29.3 million, upheld by commitments from new properties gained in FY2017 – Siloam Hospitals Buton and Lippo Plaza Buton and Siloam Hospitals Yogyakarta. This lifted net property pay up 1.9 percent to S$28.5 million. The distributable sum went up 1.4 percent to S$17 million. Its offers shut down one Singapore penny at S$1.03 on Wednesday.

SINGAPORE stocks ascended on Tuesday evening’s exchanging resumption, with the Straits Times Index progressing 1.36 percent or 43.13 indicates on the day 3,216.59 as at 1.02pm.

Gainers dwarfed washouts 220 to 107, or around two securities up for each one down, after 891.98 million securities worth S$580.36 million changed hands.

The most effectively exchanged stock was Ezion Holdings, which increased 0.2 Singapore penny or 4.17 percent to S$0.05 with 49.1 million offers exchanged.

Different actives included Genting Singapore and ThaiBev

Outline of the Day: Healthcare part reserved $39.7m of net inflows in H2 2018

The segment saw the most elevated net inflow in November with $10.5m.

This outline from the Singapore Exchange (SGX) demonstrates that the human services division which is ordinarily viewed as a guarded fragment saw six continuous long stretches of net inflows by foundations financial specialists, racking in a sum of $39.7m in H2 2018.

Quickened maturing rates, the ascent of ways of life ailments like diabetes and hypertension and developing expendable salaries were ascribed as the principle drivers for expanded human services spending.

The division saw the most elevated net inflow in November 2018 with $10.5m, trailed by September with $10.1m and July with $8.1m, as indicated by SGX information. August 2018 detailed the most minimal net inflow at $2.7m.

“The part has profited from rotational streams, following expanded hazard avoidance on the back of higher market unpredictability and constant US-China exchange strains,” SGX clarified.